Formed in 2003... by frontman/guitarist Leighton Antelman in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, Arizona, the indie rock band known as Lydia has spent the last decade-plus recording, touring and taking its music well beyond the American Southwest.

With its most recent offering, Run Wild, Antelman, Matt Keller and Justin Camacho took a very organic approach to writing – one in which the music just sort of came together on its own. “We all pretty much have our own mini studios in our separate houses,” Antelman explains. “So we tend to write songs on our own. For whatever reason, we've never really been a band that gets into a room and jam it out. I usually get as many ideas as I can together and then I throw them at the team and see what sticks. I still genuinely don’t really know why certain songs stick and others don’t, but I go for a quantity of ideas and let the pieces fall as they may. The songs seem to come out as they please.”

Run Wild was produced by Aaron Marsh (of Copeland) and Colby Wedgeworth, both of whom Lydia has previously worked with. “The thing we had never done was use two producers for one record,” says Antelman. “I always think you should be experimenting with everything in your life. Who knows, we might use four on the next record or we might use none. I genuinely don't have anything that's a ‘deal breaker’ when creating in the studio.” Lydia’s main goal is to evoke emotion – no matter what emotion it is. “I don't care what specific feeling that is…it just has to pull on some things inside you, change your DNA around for a bit,” he adds. “That's how a song makes the cut or gets thrown to the curb these days. If what you do can make the audience feel genuine emotions, I think you've done your job.”

Since the release of Run Wild, Lydia has received coverage from some of the top publications and had the video for the track “When It Gets Dark Out” picked up by major media outlets such as MTV, AXS TV and Yahoo Music. They added another headline tour to their resume, adding to a list that already included extensive headline and support tours across the US, Canada and UK, as well as the Zumiez Couch Tour, Vans Warped Tour, and the Bamboozle Festival.

Lydia will head out again this fall on a headline tour that will see the group adding special elements to their usual performance. “We've had the idea of doing this with some extra players and live strings on stage for a little while now,” enthuses Antelman. “We'll be playing music from all of our releases over the years. We're all really excited to see what makes it onto the stage and into the show. That's a really fun part about putting together a new tour.”

JARED & THE MILL

We’re 5 best friends from Arizona. We love the desert, we love its mountains, we love our city, its people, and we love each other. We love long drives, early mornings, late nights, dive bars, carne asada Tacos at 3 am, dirty jokes, and asking each other what we think about things. We’re just as likely to get down on Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan as we are Van Halen, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd. We love dogs, we love our van, we love playing music together, and we love you – it’s true. For the past few years, we’ve released records and pretty much always been on tour, hitting the road on our own, with fellow bands, and have been lucky enough to open for a few heroes. From living rooms and basement clubs, to theaters and arenas, we just love playing shows, and truly love being on the road.

Our fans (the pack) are our greatest priority – we love them, we really do, and we do our best to insure them that we can’t do this without them. Our message is one of acceptance, not in a circle sitting kumbaya bullshit way, but in a way of acknowledging that we all have shit we regret, we all have passions and opinions, and it’s up to all of us to filter through our flaws and our regrets to find ourselves and love one another. Don’t judge other people, do your best to have a good time in life, and care about everybody, like EVERYBODY everybody. Our shows are rowdy, you’ll break down your walls and realize you’re not in this alone. We hope you come to a show, make our songs apart of your story, and live the best fucking life you can.

CHERRY POOLS

Start Time: 7:45

Awash in vintage synths, revved up by 21st century guitars, and swagged out in chic thrifted threads, Cherry Pools harness harmony between distinct eras. The Toronto, ON quartet—Martin Broda [singer], Matt Krumins [guitar], Talyn Prior [bass], and Sean Medeiros [drums]—introduce a style that would fit right in during an eighties-set teen love story or booming over North American festival fields on their 2017 debut EP [Weekday Records/Sony Music Entertainment].

“We wanted to write fun, summer anthems that are relatable,” explains Martin. “They’re primarily about relationships and the ups and downs that come from being in them. At the same time, there’s a catchy vibe you can get down with. We wanted to marry our influences into something fresh.”

Cherry Pools represents the culmination of a lifelong artistic journey for the musicians. Most recently, they operated under the moniker of Curses, built an international fan base through rigorous touring, and earned the endorsement of Alternative Press, Exclaim!, and more. In 2017, they underwent a pronounced progression. Martin turned his attention towards fusing the sounds that impacted him the most from his formative years through today. Under the influence of Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Justice, MGMT, Tame Impala, and more, the four-piece arrived at a creative cross-section of inspirations. “It was about merging the modern and vintage,” he goes on. “We wrote really catchy and rhythmic vocal hooks that people could easily digest. It’s very simplistic and straightforward. That was the spirit.”

The boys recorded in Toronto alongside Juno Award- and MMVA Award-winning producer Anthony Kalabretta. Together, they unlocked a cohesive and coherent vision that unfolds on the EP. On “Caught in the Stars,” ethereal keys and handclaps entwine with lyrical conjurations of sharing kisses, chemicals, and cassette tapes as Martin’s falsetto resounds to the heavens. “It’s a summer romance,” he explains. “You’re trying to go back in time and relive this moment when you were madly in love.” That sense of sonic intoxication carries through the energetic and enigmatic “Forever Young” punctuated by his cinematic lyricism. “It’s about this mysterious girl who you never went past the whole flirty stage with,” the frontman continues. “She’s trying to recapture that passion by staying forever young. Physically, it’s not going anywhere, but she thinks she can reach back to that feeling.” Then, there’s the clever and catchy “Hollywood,” which doesn’t sugarcoat “poking fun at the stereotypical Hollywood girls who are way to cool for school.” “I don’t get too metaphorical with my lyrics,” he admits. “What you hear is what you get. These are my personal experiences I’ve encountered throughout the years. I don’t hold anything back when it comes to getting a point across. I transfer that in a cool way.” Every element coalesces into Cherry Pools. From the timeless sonic blend down to the mid-century inspired fashion aesthetic, the music ultimately functions as an escape. “We want everybody to have a good time in the end,” Martin leaves off. “We’re all about bringing positive energy. If we can pull people away from everyday life and leave them feeling inspired, that’d be amazing. If we can bring that joy out of someone, we’re doing our job well. Come to our show and tell your friends about it.”